As a Junior NPD Technologist, you will be the link between the product development kitchen and the production line, with responsibility for making sure that new and existing re-development products make a smooth transition from trial and testing stages to industrialisation of factory trials, meeting the customer requirements for shelf-life, commercial targets, and consistency. You will support projects relating to R&D (Research and Development) in the business.
You will ensure the factory production trials runs take place with the outcomes reported to all relevant staff. You will identify any critical issues, come with recommendations for improvements and make sure that everything complies with quality, safety and customer expectations.
You will be involved in trialling out new processes & validating new equipment either in support of a new product launch, improvement to current production processes or investigations into feasibility.
Main Duties
- Ensuring all NPD related work meets in–house and customer standards for quality and safety. Ensuring procedures required for all recipes are developed to meet current manufacturing quality standards & capabilities.
- Understanding of customer codes of practice relating to Shelf life validations
- Developing practical schedules for work relating to product launches
- Liaise with Packaging, Technical, Production, Planning and Procurement on arranging for availability of all components for industrialisation of factory trials
- Investigation of new raw materials as required. Conducting the processing capacity of new raw material and developing the production process required. This includes capturing relevant data to assist in costings
- Supporting R&D projects relating to innovation and NPD
- Understanding company production processes and spotting opportunities for efficiency or quality improvements during trials
- Planning and implementing of production trials with new packaging or raw material. Organoleptic shelf-life assessment for raw material and quality assessment of all products including use of new packaging
- Generating Shelf life validation reports and updating relevant stakeholders
- Liaise with Finance, Production & Sales team to ensure all new ingredients and processes products are costed thoroughly after production trials and prior to full production
- Making sure all relevant documents are in place prior to factory trials (HACCP form, work instruction relating to new fruit processes etc)
- Confirmation of Perforation requirements for each line to Packaging Team
- Liaising with courier collections and confirmation of delivery
- Organisation and delivery of product samples relating to customer sign off to factory standards
- Scheduling the production and delivery of product samples relating to customer request, at high factory standards
- Scheduling the production, management and delivery of product samples relating to customer transit trials
- Provide an internal handover to production ahead of pre-pro trials
- Supporting Pre-production trials and product launches
- Attending the weekly NPD meetings
- Supporting customer visits during production trials
- Ensure formal systems are adhered to
- Responsible for the maintenance of NPD work area
- Carry out store visits to asses product quality in store
- Responsible for managing own workload
- And perform any other task as requested by your line manager
Other Role Requirements
- The role involves some manual handling and the ability to withstand working in cold storage conditions daily
- Travel to other company or off-site meeting locations may be required from time to time
Person Specification
- Degree/HND or equivalent in food related subject such as Food Technology / Food science.
- Level 2 Food Safety.
- Awareness in Microbiology.
- Previous Technical experience of FMCG food related manufacturing operations.
- Ability to interact with internal stakeholders
- Awareness of Health and Safety issues and how they interact with their team
What we provide in return:
- Medicash (allowances to cover costs such as dental and optical bills, physiotherapy, alternative therapies, and even consultancy charges, available for employees and their families. A taxable benefit)
- Wagestream (track your earnings and instantly access up to 50% of your money as you earn it, without waiting for payday)
- Internal Learning and Development programme including Management essential skills
- Annual bonus (non-contractual)
- Free, on site parking with electric charge points
- Staff events
- On site staff restaurant serving heavily subsidised hot and cold food
- Fruit pots on Wednesdays
- Modern offices and facilities
- A supportive team
Days and hours of work: Monday to Friday, 08:00am to 17:00pm.
Some work from home opportunity (flexibility to be on site as required)
